The Bihar Police have cancelled all leaves from September 28 to October 8 in view of a yatra of Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) to raise awareness over the “larger design” behind attacks on Sanatana Dharma.

In a letter on Tuesday to district police chiefs, the state’s additional director general (law and order) said the leaves were cancelled to maintain law and order when the Bajrang Dal and VHP are due to organise the Shourya Jagran Yatra in Bihar. The yatra is being held nationwide, including in Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, the letter added.

Tamil Nadu minister and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leader Udhayanidhi Stalin’s comments earlier this month that “Sanatana Dharma should be eradicated” triggered an uproar. DMK is a key constituent of the Opposition Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), which includes Bihar’s ruling parties.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party have been attacking the INDIA bloc saying it wants to destroy Sanatana Dharma.

VHP functionary Sanjay Kumar Pandey said the yatra’s main purpose was to awaken the Hindus and to organise them for the larger cause in the face of the onslaught on their religion and faith as part of a design. “Sanatana Dharma has faced many challenges and it has only emerged stronger each time.”

VHP’s national spokesman Deo ji Bhai Rawat said that the yatra is also dedicated to brave warriors who lost their lives while fighting for the nation against China and Pakistan. He added many such fighters belonged to Bihar.

In March, violence during Ram Navami processions left one person dead and several others injured at separate places in Bihar. Police named Bajrang Dal functionary Kundan Kumar as the mastermind of the violence.